New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘KLENI05079’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Impatiens  plant named ‘KLENI05079’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading to trailing growth habit; rounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; relatively large intense purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KLENI05079’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘KLENI05079’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new freely-branching New Guinea Impatiens cultivarswith medium plant habit, early and freely flowering habit, and large andattractive flowers.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor during the summer of 2002 in Stuttgart, Germany of aproprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number S608, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number U 376, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Impatiens wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Stuttgart, Germany in May, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Impatiens by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Stuttgart, Germany since July, 2003, has shownthat the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar KLENI05079 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘KLENI05079’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘KLENI05079’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofImpatiens:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading to trailing growth habit;        rounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Relatively large intense purple-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens flower earlier than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens are more freely flowering than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens and the female parent selection        differ in flower color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens and the male parent selection        differ in flower color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the Impatienscultivar Miami, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,700. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Stuttgart, Germany, plants of the new Impatiensdiffered from plants of the cultivar Miami in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens had more leathery leaves than        plants of the cultivar Miami.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of        the cultivar Miami.    -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Miami differed        in flower color as plants of the cultivar Miami had red        purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Impatiens, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a close-up view of a typicalflower and leaves of ‘KLENI05079’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The photograph and following observations, measurements and valuesdescribe plants grown in Stuttgart, Germany, in containers and undercommercial practice during the summer in a polypropylene-coveredshadehouse with day temperatures ranging from 15° C. to 40° C. and nighttemperatures ranging from 8° C. to 20° C. Rooted young plants had beengrowing for about five months when the photograph and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar KLENI05079.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens            hawkeri identified as code number S 608, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens            hawkeri identified as code number U 376, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 18 days            at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 21 days            at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine to medium, fibrous; creamy white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading            growth habit; rounded plant habit. Freely branching habit            with about 15 lateral branches; pinching is typically not            required. Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 27 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 48 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 17 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 6.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—187B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls; simple.        -   Length.—About 10.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblong to lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate with ciliation.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 147C. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 147A; venation, 185C. Fully expanded foliage, lower            surface: 147C; venation, 185C.        -   Petiole length.—About 8 mm.        -   Petiole diameter: About 2.7 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—185C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rounded axillary            flowers. Freely flowering habit; usually about nine open            flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers            positioned above the foliage and typically face upright or            outward. Flowers last about 10 to 14 days under greenhouse            conditions. Petals self-cleaning, gynoecium persistent.            Flowers not fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse            conditions. In the garden, flowering from spring until fall            in Germany. Plants begin flowering about twelve weeks after            planting.        -   Flower size.—Length: About 5.8 cm. Width: About 6 cm. Depth:            About 1.4 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm.            Shape: Ovoid; pointed. Color: 80B.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower in a single            whorl. Length, banner petal: About 2.4 cm. Length, lateral            petals: About 2.4 cm. Length, lower petals: About 3.3 cm.            Width, banner petal: About 3.8 cm. Width, lateral petals:            About 3.2 cm. Width, lower petals: About 3.4 cm. Shape:            Cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 78A; color            becoming closer to 78B with development; venation, similar            to lamina. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:            78B; venation, similar to lamina.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Three; one modified into an            elongated spur. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 4.5 mm.            Shape: Oval. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper surface: 147C. Color, lower surface: 147B. Spur            length: About 3.5 cm. Spur diameter: At flower, about 2.5            mm; at apex, less than 1 mm. Spur texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Spur color: 186A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.            Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: 183D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at            anthers; filaments free. Anther size: About 6 mm by 3.5 mm.            Anther color: 57C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:            158B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:            About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 158A. Style            color: 158A. Ovary color: 146B.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to New Guinea    Impatiens.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Impatiens plant named ‘KLENI05079’ as illustratedand described.